Furnace



Oct. 27, 1959 A. E. NEUMANN FURNACE Filed Aug. 2, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheer. 1

IN VHV TOR. BY Arlfiar E. likamazuv A T TUENEYS Fi d 195 E NEU F N ACE 2 9 9 s Shea t e BY Arthur ZI TO izi Oct. 27, 1959 A. E. NEUMANN 2,910,021

FURNACE Filed Aug. 2, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheer. 3

IN V EN TOR.

llz'tlmr E. Nzwwm ATTOKNE Y5 Unite! w Patent FURNACE Arthur E. Neumann, Chicago, 11]., assignor of one-half to Frank Scoby, Chicago, 111.

Application August Z, 1956, Serial No. 601,757

'11 Claims. 01. 110-18 This invention relates to furnaces, and particularly to furnaces of the type usually characterized as incinerators for burning trash material.

' In general, the furnace comprises a chamber constructed of suitable insulating material and arranged to define a' combustion space having a fuel inlet at one end and Outlet means at the other end for the discharge of products of combustion which may be in the form of ash or other unburned'resid'ue and gaseous products. The combustible and/ or burning'material, hereinafter referred to as fuel, is supported on an imperforate bottom or floor in the combustion space, which bottom slopes from the inlet toward the outlet means and also slopes laterally of that direction whereby material on the bottom tends to gravitate toward one lateral side-edge thereof and also toward the outlet means. Cyclically movable arms or stirring members are continuously operated to agitate the fuel and cause it to move upwardly of the lateral incline of the bottom while at the same time partially lifting or flufling the fuel While a jet of air is directed thereon, the results being that substantially all of the particles of the burning fuel are brought into intimate contact with oxygen and burn violently without the produc tion of smoke or any appreciable quantity of condensable combustible volatiles. The stirring or agitating means are so arranged and designed that the fuel material moved thereby is caused to move upwardly of the lateral incline referred to and is then released to the action of gravity whereupon the material slides down the incline in a direction toward the outlet means. The stirring or agitating means extend through a side wall of the furnace above the low side of the bottom whereby a channel is provided to hold liquefied constituents of the fuel so they too will ignite and burn. In this manner the burning fuel is caused, to progress through the furnace from the inlet to the outlet. The dimensions are suchthat'charges of fresh fuel are completely burned by the time they reach the discharge or outlet end of the furnace where an ash pit is provided into which unburned solids are dropped for removal and at which end a suitable flue is provided to conduct away gaseous products of combustion.

The stirring or agitating means are preferably hollow and means are provided for circulating a cooling medium therethrough. Feed means are also provided for feeding fuel into the furnace, through the inlet, at a predetermined suitable rate and the feed means and stirring or agitating means are operated in timed but adjustable relation so that the burning fuels are-caused to progress through the furnace at substantially the same rate at which fuel is fed thereto.

It is thereforean object of this invention to providea furnace or incinerator in which complete and smokeless combustion of the fuel is accomplished.

Another objectof the invention is to provide a furnace accomplishing the .object heretofore stated and including novel means for agitating the fuel to assist in producing complete combustion thereof.

, Still; another object ofthe invention is to provide a 2,910,021 Paltented Oct. 1959,

.. furnace accomplishing the objects heretofore stated and wherein the agitating means further function to advance the burning fuel through the furnace. 4

A further object of the invention is to provide a furnace for effecting complete and smokeless combustion of solid fuels and in which no air pervious grates are employed. V

A still further object is to provide a furnace having a sloping fuel supporting bottom and agitating means whereby feed. of fuel through the furnace is accomplished in part by gravitation.

Another and further object of the invention is to provide a furnace wherein smokeless and complete combustion is produced by agitating solid fuel therein and direct-' ing a jet of air into the agitated burning fuel. 1

An additional object is to provide a-furnace whereinfuel is caused to advance therethrough, in part by gravita-- tion, in timed relation to the feeding of fuel to the furnace.

One more object is to provide a furnace having a fullsupporting surface comprising, in part, a means for collecting and holding liquefied portions of the fuel until they too are burned. i

Still further and additional objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the description proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a furnace embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the lines 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of Fig. 2 on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 3, on'an enlarged' scale, and with the parts in different relative positions;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3 but on a larger scale and further with parts broken away to facilitate illustration;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale, takenon the line 66 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially along the line 7-7- of Fig. 5;

and

I Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

The furnace or incinerator of the present invention may be constructed of any suitable material, and while the drawings suggest the walls, etc., as being of integral, one-piece construction, it is contemplated that the furnace be constructed of suitable insulating or fire brick or the like. f r

The furnace comprises amain chamber portion having side walls 2 and 4, a suitable top 6, a bottom or sup-. porting portion 8, rear wall 7 and front wall 9. The side walls 2 and 4 extend downwardly below the bottom portion 8 and may rest on any suitablefootings or sup ports (not shown). I

'The walls 2 and 4, the top 6, the bottom -8, and the end; walls define a combustion space or chamber desiguated generally at 10. As clearly seen in Fig. 2, the furnace" comprises a forward portion wherein the bottom 8 slopes upwardly at a substantial angle and a rearward portion wherethe chamber 10 extends generally horizontally and communicates with a flue 12 through which gaseous products of combustion may be withdrawn. The sloping por tion of the bottom 8, designated as 14, is provided with.

an upper surface of fire brick or the like 16 and slopesvided with an access opening 20 closed .b'yia suitable'clo i sure (not shown) through which ashes and other solid I unburned. residue may be removed. The bottom portion hot only slopes downwardly and rearwardly of. the furnace but the major portion thereof slopes laterally upwardly toward the side wall 4, as clearly seen in Fig. 3. At its upper or forward end the furnace structure is provided with a hopper 22in which material constituting the. fuel to'be burned may be deposited. The hopper 22 communicates with. the combustion chamber 10 through an inlet opening 24. A reciprocating feed ram 26 is supported on: rollers 28 movable along a trackway 30 and has secured thereto an actuating rod 32. The upper surof the ram 26. constitutes the bottom of the hopper 22 and the rearward or lower endof the ram is of less verticaldimension than the opening 24. By making the opening 24 of greater height than the ram 26, bulky ma.- terialsin. the hopper 22 will not-tend to bind or obstruct the inlet 24 as the ram moves rearwardlyand downwardly tofeed material into the furnace.

A driving motor 34 having a reduction gearing in a housing 36 is secured to a suitable supporting portion 38 of the furnace structure and is connected, through shaft 40 (Fig. l) to drive a suitable crank or equivalent mechanism inhousing 42 to, effect reciprocation of the rod 32 andram 26. at a substantially constant rate. Preferably the motor 34 is of such type that its speed may be varied or changed to permit regulating the rate of feed of material from hopper 22 into the furnace. As shown in Fig. 1, the shaft 40 extends through the housing 42 and drives, through any suitable speed-changing mechanism- 44, an output shaft 46 having a bevel gear 48 fixed thereon. The shaft 46 is journalled in a bracket 50 which includes an arm 52 journalling a shaft 54 having a second bevel gear 56-fixcd thereon and in mesh with bevel gear 48. The

shaft 54 is further journalled in brackets 58; and extends along the outside of the furnace wall 2 to arposition adjacent the forward end of the combustion chamber 10 (see Fig. Atits rearmostend the shaft 54 has a sprocket wheel 60 fixed thereon and which drives, through sprocket chain 62, a sprocket wheel 64 fixed on a shaft 66. The shaft 66 is journalled in brackets 68 secured in any suitable manner to the wall 2 of the furnace and terminating in crank arms 70 fixed at its opposite ends and carrying coaxially arranged eccentric crank pins 72. The brackets 68 are preferably braced, as at 78 (Fig. 3) to provide a rigidly fixed axis for the shaft 66.

A pair of brackets 76, provided with braces 74, isv also fixed to the side wall 2 of the furnace and each is provided witha bearing socket 79 at its outer end. Guide blocks 82 are provided with pivot pins 80 journalled in coaxial sockets, 79 to thus mount the blocks for swinging, on pivotal. movement on brackets 76 and the blocks 82 are:

identified) perpendicular to the axesof pivot pins 80 and through which slide rods 84 extend; The slide rodsv 84: h

are each provided with a head 86 at its upper end and a compression spring 88 surrounds each rod to-react against the head 86v and block 82 to constantly urge the slide rods upwardly through blocks 82. A sleeve 90 is fixed to. each slide rod 84 and is provided. with a longitudinal slot or groove 92 therein (see Fig. 4) having a closed lower end. The sleeves 90 are preferably fixed to. the slide rods 84 by such means aspins 93' and areso positioned that the sleeves 90 act as stopsto engage the blocks 82 and thus limit upward sliding movement of rods. 84'

through blocks 82' under the influence of springs 88. As.

shown. in Figs. 4. and 5 of the drawings, crank pins 72 extend into the slots or grooves. 92 in sleeves 90. The axis of the pivot pins 80. is sorelated: to the axis of the shaft.

66. that the crank pins 72travel on a circular orbit 94 (see Fig. 3). The pivot pins 80. are substantially-outside the orbit 94. As the shaft 66 rotates in. a clockwise direction asseen. in Figs. 3 and 4, the crank pins 72 follow the orbit 94 while in engagement with. the grooves 92- of sleeves 90. It'will be obvious that duringrotation of: the crank pins 72' from. the position-A of Fig; 3' to theposition' B; the crank pins. merely slide freely. along the groove 92 without causing sliding movement of the rods 84 through blocks 82 but at the same time cause the rods 84 to swing on an arc about the pivot pins 80. During this interval of time the springs 88 hold the sleeves 90 in contact with blocks 82 and thus the lowermost or free ends of the rods 84 are caused to travel on an are 96 (Fig. 3) between the limits indicated by the dotted line showing of are 96.

When the crank pin 72 reaches the position B in its orbit 9.4 it againengages the lowermost or closed end of the groove 92 and continued clockwise rotation of the shaft 66 causes the crank pin 72 to pull the rod 84 downwardly through block 82 against the action of spring 88 and at the same time. causes the rod to swing about the axis of pivot pins whereby its lowermost end is caused to follow a curved path 98 until the crank pin again reaches the position A (at which sleeve again engages block 82) whereupon the described cycle is repeated.

At their lowermost endsthe rods 84 have bracket blocks 100 fixed thereto, which blocks-rotatably receive trunnions 102. fixed to end, plates 104 of a manifold or header 106.

Referring now to Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the manifold 01'.

header 106 may be constructed in any suitable manner but as.illustrated is shown as comprising a pair of channel members 108 and 110 and a, plate member 112 welded together to form an elongated double-chambered mani fold. having anupper chamber 114. and a lower chamber; 116- extending the length thereof. The, end plates, 104;, previously referred to, are welded to the ends of the. manifold;106 and constituteclosures for those ends.

I Pipes or equivalent conduits 118, and (see Fig. 5') are provided for conducting acooling medium to and from themanifold 106. The pipes, 118 and 120 are supported, by brackets 121 (Fig. 3') on the side wall 2 of the furnace. The pipe 120 is provided witha flexible conduit portion-122' communicating with the upper chamber 114 of the manifold 106 through a suitable fitting 124 and a mid-portion thereof is secured. to a block.82 by a suitable clip 123. The pipe 118 communicates, through a flexible conduit 126, with the lower chamber 116 of the manifold 106 through a suitable fitting 128' and a nipple 130, extending through the upper chamber 114 andwelded; to the upper channel 108. and the plate 112. Flexible, conduit 126 is also secured to a block 82 by means, of a clip 131..

At, spaced intervals along the length of the slopingportion of the combustion space 10, the furnace. wall; 2 is provided with opening 132'therethrough. Each of; the openings is provided, with a pair, of opposed bearingplates 134'rotatably supporting a hollow slide, bearing structure; 136 having trunnions 138- rotatably engaging suitable openings in the plates 134. The bearing structures 136 areprovided with substantially diametrically. arranged; openings therethrough slidably supporting. and gnidinghollow members 140; A plurality of the openings 132 and associated structures are provided along the length ofthe sloping portion 14 of the furnace. However, only one will be described in detail. since they are all identical in. structure. Referring again to Figs; 6', 7 and 8, the hollow members, 140 are preferably. provided,- with wide upper, surfaces-and narrow. lower surfaces with their side walls: tapering downwardly. The. ends of the member 140 so that an opening- 144 communicates with the upper chamber 1=14'- and with the-interior of the hollow meinber 140 mm one side of the partition 142'. The other'opening 146, of each pair, communicates with the lower chamber116 of the manifold and with the interior of the hollow member 140 on the other side of the partition 142. The partitions 142 terminate short of the innermost ends of the hollow members 140, as clearly shown in Fig. 6, and thus define flow paths for a coolant medium. It will be obvious from the description thus far that a coolant medium, such as water, may be pumped into the pipe 120 and will be conducted through flexible conduit 122 to the upper chamber 114 of the manifold 106 and thence through the openings 144, along one side of each of the hollow members 140 to the end thereof, return along the other side thereof and enter openings 146 to the lower chamber 116 of the manifold 106 to return through flexible conduit 126 and pipe 118 to a sump or other. suitable position of disposal. Thus, the hollow members 140-may be kept'safely cool during the operation to'be described, even though their inner ends are exposed to the intense heat within the furnace.

By the sliding support of the hollow members 140 within the bearing structures 136 as described, the outer ends of the hollow members can be given whatever type of movement necessary to cause the inner ends thereof to follow a predetermined path. As shown in Fig. 3, the side wall 2 of the furnace is so shaped and configured adjacent the openings 132 as to extend intovclose proximity to the peripheral surface of the bearing structures 136 and thereby effectively close the opening against loss of heat therethrough.

It is tobe noted that the axis of shaft 66 and the axis of the pivot pins'80 are parallel to each other and substantially parallel to the bottom wall 14 of the furnace. In other words, the shaft 66 slopes downwardly and rearwardly, along the outside of the furnace, in parallel relation to bottom 14. As a result, the hollow members 140 are confined to movement in planes perpendicular to the axis of shaft 66 and which planes are perpendicular to the bottom 14 of the furnace. Previous description pointed out that the lowermost ends of the slide rods 84 are caused to follow the curved paths 96 and 98. It will be evident that the manifold 106 and consequently the outermost ends of the members 140, will follow the same paths. With the parts dimensioned and proportioned as suggested in Fig. 3, the innermost ends of thehollow members 140 follow the orbital path indicated by dotted line 150, which lies in a plane perpendicular to the bottom 14 and is orbital in nature with a portion of the orbital path lying closely adjacent the bottom 14 which defines a fuel supporting surface. As previously described, the rods 84 swing quite rapidly during the interval of time crank pin 72 is travelling from point A to point B, which is the same interval of time the innermost ends of the members 140 are traversing the lower portions of their orbital paths.

Whatever material is to be burned, such as trash or the like, may be dumped in the hopper 22 to constitute a fuel supply. 'A fire may be started in the combustion chamber of the furnace in any suitable manner, such as by starting a fire with wood or paper therein to bring the furnace up to the desired temperature. After combustion has been started, the trash or other fuel material is caused to intermittently feed into the furnace through the inlet 24 by starting motor 34 and thereby reciprocating ram 26. Obviously, as the ram moves upwardly material from the hopper 22 drops toward the opening 24, whereas downward movement of the ram 26 forces that material into the furnace. The change-speed mechanism 44 may be adjusted to drive shaft 66 at the desired or suitable rate and which is thereafter driven in timed relation to feed of fuel material into the furnace.

By reference now to Fig. 2, the dotted line 152 indicates an end view of the orbital path 150 of the inner end of a hollow member 140 and it will be apparent that movement of the member 140 along the bottom of its 'orbital path acts to lift or push burn ing fuel upwardly along the laterally sloping portion of the bottom 14 in the direction indicated by the dotted line 152. At that time the end of the member lifts upwardly away from the bottom 14 and simultaneously lifts a substantial part of the fuel material away from the bottom whereupon that material drops off the member 140 and gravitates generally along the path indicated by dotted line 154 of Fig; 2. The line 154 represents the direction of greatest slope of the lateral sloping portion of the bottom 14 and is so designed that the slope is at least equal to the average angle of repose of the material being burned. The front-'to-rear slope of the surface 14, however, is preferably ,of the order of 20, somewhat less than the angle of repose of the fuel material. Thus, the orbital movement of the member 140 stirs and agitates the burning material and induces gravitational flow. thereof toward the next member 140 and thus the fuel is periodically advanced toward the rear or lower end of the furnace to feed the same therethrough. All of the members 140 function inthe manner just described. By properly timing the rate of operation of the members 140 to the rate of fuel feed, a uniform and constant operation can be achieved wherein all combustible. materials are completely burned by the time they have advanced to the brink of the ash pit 18. (The number and spacing of the hollow members 140 required will depend upon the length of the furnace and the combustion volume therein.)

The side walls 2 and 4 of the furnace are each pro vided with longitudinally extending conduits 156 extending lengthwise therethrough and each conduit 156 is provided with a plurality of nozzles 158 extending into the combustion space 10 and directeddownwardly generally toward the upper portions of the orbital paths of members 140. A supply of air under pressure directed toward the agitated material on the bottom 14, it will be obvious that the burning fuel is constant ly agitated and partially thrown upwardly to intimately mix with the air being supplied from nozzles 158. The high degree of agitation achieved and the high velocity of the air jets causes the material to burn violently without'the production of any appreciable quantity of smoke and results in substantially complete combustion of all combustible material, including volatilized materials. I I

Since the conduits :156 are embedded within the side walls of the furnace, which are in turn maintained'at a high temperature, the incoming air is preheated and thus further increases the elfioiency of operation of the furnace. V

As clearly exhibited in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the openings 132 in the side Wall 2 of the furnace are close-'' 1y adjacent the lowermost portion of the fuel support-' ing surface 14 but are spaced somewhat thereabove. By this arrangement the low side of the fuel supporting bottom defines a longitudinally-extending trough or channel that is substantially liquid-tight. When trash or the like materials are fed into the furnace for burning therein, the heat to which the materials are exposed liquefies certain portions of the materials and it is necessary that such portions be retained and burned. The first constituents that liquefy are relatively thin liquids produced near the entrance or inlet of the furnace. As the materials progress along the bottom and become exposed to higher temperatures, more viscous liquids are driven from the material. The liquids thus formed flow to the low side of the sloping bottom 14 and collect in the trough previously described and commence to fiow toward the ash pit 18. However, since heavier and more viscous liquids are produced as the materials approach the ash pit, those heavier liquids impart substantial body to the liquid in the trough and prevent. free flow into the ash pit. Continued exposure to heat causes the liquids to thicken and to finallyv burn completely before they ever reach the ash pit 1'8. 7

Having thus described apreferred embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that applicant has achieved the objects hereinbefore set forth. The invention, however is not to be limited to the specific embodiment shown and described but is to encompass all' modifications. thereof falling within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a furnace structure, means defining an elongated combustion space having a fuel inlet at one end thereof, outlet means forproducts of combustion at the other end, and stationary means; defining a fuel supporting bottom, said bottom. sloping downwardly from said one end toward the other end to define a flow path for burning fuel and having at least a portion thereof also sloping obliquely upwardly laterally of said path, cyclically operable movable means having portions in said combustion space movable adjacent to said obliquely sloping portion of said bottom for moving separate portions of burning fuel laterally of said path and up-said laterally sloping portion whereby said fuel is caused to gravitate back down said portion and in a direction away from said fuel inlet and continuously operable drive means for driving said cyclically operable movable means.

2. A furnace as defined in claim 1 wherein the greatest slope of said portion is less than 90 but at least as great as the angle of repose of the fuel.

3. A furnace as defined in claim 1 wherein said bottom is. substantially imperforate, said furnace including means for directing a jet of air under pressure toward said burning fuel whereby to produce substantially smokeless-combustion as said cyclically operable means agitatessaid burning fuel.

4. Ina furnace structure, means defining an elongated combustion space having a fuel inlet at one end thereof, outlet means forproducts of combustion at the other end, ,and. stationary means defining a fuel supporting bottom, said bottom being substantially imperforate, cyclically operable agitating means movable adjacent said bottom for lifting separate portions of fuel from said bottom and then dropping the same back onto said bottom, means for directing jets of air under pressure.

toward said; bottom to direct said jets respectively toward said separate portions of lifted fuel whereby to produce substantially smokeless combustion thereof, and continuously operable drive means for driving said cyclically operable means.

5. A furnace as defined in claim 4 including reciprocable feed means for feeding fuel through said inlet at predetermined. intervals, and means for driving said cyclically operable means in timed relation to said feed means.

6; In a furnace structure, means defining an elongated bottom and then-dropping the same thus inducing gravitation thereof along said bottom and away from. said; in let, said lifting means comprising at least one. member extending movably through. a side wall of said furnace and having an end portion movable adjacent said bottom, and driving means outside said combustion space for moving said member to lift and drop said fuel.

7. In a furnace structure, means defining an elongated combustion space having a solid stationary fuel supporting bottom, side walls, a fuel inlet, and outlet means. for products of combustion spaced fromsaid inlet, said bottom sloping downwardly from said inlet, toward said outlet and being elongated in a direction from said inlet toward said outlet means, said bottom being soconfigured that fuel thereon tends to gravitate both laterally and longitudinally thereof toward' 'said outlet, cyclically oper able movable agitating means movable adjacent said bottom and "arranged to periodically move separate portions of fuel over said bottom in a lateral directionagainst the tendency of the fuel to gravitate laterally and to then release said fuel to the action of gravity, means for directing jets of air under pressure toward. said' bottom to produce substantially smokeless combustion, and continuously operable drive means for driving said agitating means.

8. -A furnace as defined in claim 7 wherein said agitatingmeans comprises a plurality of longitudinally spacedelongatedrigid members extending outwardly of said furnace through a side wall thereof, drive-means outside said combustion space and connected to the outer portions of said members for movingsaid members so that their inner ends move in an orbital path toward and' away from that lateral edge of said bottom from which fuel tends to gravitate, said path defining a plane substantially normal transverse to said bottom and a portion of whichlies closely adjacent said bottom.

9. A furnace asdefined in claim 8 wherein the inner ends of said members are so configured asto lift and drop portions of said fuel at said end of said orbitalpath, and means for directing a jet of air toward said one end of said path.

10. A furnace as defined in claim 4 wherein said bottom is sloped and so arranged that saidportion of fuel gravitates toward said outlet means when dropped from said means.

11. A furnace as defined in claim 1 wherein said. bottom is imperforate and defines a front-to-rear liquidconveying trough along the low' side thereof. 2

References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 20,046 Hartley July 28, 1936 526,284 Anderson Sept. 18, 1894. 597,079 Evans Jan.. 11, 1898' 1,293,285 Wood Feb. 4,..1919 1,304,235 Woolson May 20, 1919 1,642,586 Lewis Sept. 13, 1927 2,102,543 Raisch et al. Dec. 14, 1937 2,274,780 Duerr et a1. Mar. 3,v 1942,

' FOREIGN PATENTS 770,196 France Sept. 10, 1934 

